Dimapur, January 22: The NSCN (K) has accused the United Naga Council (UNC) and the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) of "directly monitoring" the ensuing Manipur Assembly elections at the behest of the NSCN-IM.

The Khaplang faction of the NSCN said that the NSCN-IM has selected its own "pick and choose persons" as independent candidates.

In a statement issued by the secretary of the MIP in Dimapur today, the NSCN-K said that the course of action taken up by the NSCN-IM, UNC and ANSAM is not "election but selection." The NSCN (K) further said that since election is usually conducted under Indian laws, it was up to the Government of India and its Election Commission to decide whether the said exercise was "election or selection," and added that it is least bothered over such developments.

While warning the UNC and ANSAM, the NSCN-K said that the two social bodies would be held solely responsible if any untoward incident takes place resulting in the loss of human lives and properties on account of "undue interference" by them.

Significantly, UNC has announced the names of six candidates which it would support.

On the issue of affiliation of private schools in the four hill districts of Manipur to the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) and subsequent permission granted to the hill students to appear under NBSE, which the NSCN (K) is totally opposed to, the outfit said "more understanding on this issue is still required." The outfit however said it was appreciable that many students and their parents in Manipur hill districts and also in Nagaland had come to understand the difficulties and implications involved in the NBSE issue.

"In the recent past, some people blamed the NSCN/GPRN for opposing the move.

But now people have come to understand what we said," the release added.